Request from the wiki! Keefitzex- I don't really ship it romantically, but this could be seen as romantic or platonic if you want

Never mind the title, it sorta fits but-

Fitz found Keefe sitting on his porch swing, tears running down his cheeks.

He hesitated, wavering over whether or not to sit beside the empath. But Keefe must have heard him, because he looked up, his teary eyes widening as he hurriedly sat up, scrubbing the wetness from his cheeks.

"Fitz," he said quickly, his voice somehow strong. "I... what are you doing here?"

"I came to see you," the telepath responded honestly, making his choice and sitting down next to Keefe. Keefe's throated bobbed, and Fitz took a deep breath, readying himself for his next words. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," the empath replied too quickly, his eyes still red. "I'm fine."

Fitz raised an eyebrow, and Keefe scowled, crossing his arms. "Nothing. Happened."

Normally, Fitz would have dropped it. But Keefe's face was... devastated, almost, and he was sick of letting Sophie comfort him, done with backing away and not talking. "I don't believe you."

Keefe's eyebrows shot up in surprise. Because Fitz always let it go and believed him and let him go to other people. And he was sick of it.

"Talk to me, Keefe," the telepath said quietly. "Just this once."

"This isn't something we should be talking about," Keefe protested.

"Why?" Fitz pressed, resting his elbows on his knees. "Why? What happened? If it's something with your dad-"

"It's not," Keefe snapped. "I just..."

Fitz raised an eyebrow. He scooted closer, until he could feel Keefe's heat warming him from their almost touching thighs. "What?"

"Sophie rejected me." Keefe didn't meet his eyes, his fingers twisting tightly on his lap. "I... confessed. And she..."

Fitz winced, remembering how she'd rejected him, too.

"I think we should... stay friends. I love being your friend, Fitz. I love being your Cognate. I don't know if I'm ready..."

"For more?" Fitz's heart was breaking into pieces, but he didn't let that show on his face. Instead, he smiled gently at her. "Okay. If you ever change your mind..."

Sophie smiled tightly, and Fitz knew she wouldn't be changing her mind. "I know."

She walked away, and Fitz watched the way her long hair bounced against her back. His chest squeezed, and he breathed deeply. In, and out, in, and out.

Part of him wondered if there was someone else. If Keefe had confessed, if she'd realized who she really liked. If she'd passed over him for another.

But his heart broke a little more at the thought, so he pushed it from his mind before exhaling deeply and turning to walk away.

"I'm sorry," Fitz began, but before he could say more, a familiar figure appeared.

Keefe glanced up, saw Dex, and looked back down, trying to subtly sniff his tears back.

"What's wrong?" the technopath asked, forehead furrowing with concern as he sat down on Keefe's other side. "Did something happen?"

Keefe shook his head automatically before hesitating, changing his movements to a slow nod. "Not anything important... just-"

"It was important to you," Fitz said gently. "Can I tell him?"

Keefe glanced over, meeting Dex's eyes, head cocked to the side. He exhaled slowly, squeezing his eyes shut as he nodded.

"Sophie rejected him," Fitz told Dex. The technopath winced, a blush spreading on his cheeks. No doubt he was thinking of that day with the crush cuffs and the failed kiss, the one that had cracked their friendship apart. They'd barely managed to sew it back together.

"Keefe, I'm sorry," Dex began, his fingers fidgeting as if he was debating taking Keefe's hand.

Fitz sighed, but before he could speak, Keefe burst out laughing. Not a small chuckle, either, but full-on, heaving laughs that shook his shoulders and sent tears rolling down his cheeks as he howled.

"Keefe-"

"I'm sorry," the empath gasped, wiping away his tears of laughter as another wave of laughter overtook him. "This- this isn't funny- it's just... ridiculous."

"What?" Fitz wasn't sure whether to laugh or back away or get angry as Keefe's laughter continued.

"All three of us," Keefe spread his arms to throw them around Dex and Fitz. "All three of us, we all had these huge crushes on Sophie! And we kept on expecting her to choose one! But she rejected all three of us!"

His head tilted back as he continued to laugh, shaking his head in bemusement.

A small smile curled Dex's lips, and then he let out a little chuckle. Fitz snorted, but he couldn't stop himself from smirking in response.

Keefe's laughter eventually faded back into a thoughtful silence, a small "hmm" escaping his lips every now and then.

(his arms remained around them, and Fitz couldn't help but scoot the tiniest bit closer until their legs were bumping together)

Dex eventually asked, "So how did she do it? How awkward was it?"

Keefe looked at him, and the heartbreak was back in his eyes, lingering traces of amusement wiped away. Dex's lips tugged down into a frown as if he regretted his question, but he waited for the answer.

"More awkward than I thought it should be," he answered finally. "Maybe it was a sign... because it was so hard to force the words out. And it was so hard looking at the shock and disappointment on her face. And it was so easy to walk away... after."

Dex's head tilted to the side, and he swallowed. "I know what you mean." It had been overly awkward for him, too, Fitz knew. Not at all what he'd been imagining.

But the telepath stayed quiet, because it had been perfect for him. It had been perfect when he's confessed, in that hall, staring at her and saying those words: "I want it to be you."

It had been so easy to say. So right.

Maybe that was why it had hurt so much when she's taken him aside later. Maybe that was why it had hurt so much when she'd crushed his heart and scattered the pieces into the ocean, watching them dissolve into the foam and crashing waves.

Maybe that was why she'd agreed at first, and they'd been together, happy, until they weren't.

"Fitz..." Keefe shook him from his thoughts. "You're crying."

"Am I?" Fitz coughed and swiped a tear from his cheek, his face heating. He couldn't still be crying over Sophie, over what had happened months ago. He should be- he was- over her. He knew it. And yet... "Sorry, I just... all this happening again."

"I know, right?" Keefe's lips quirked up into a slight grin, and suddenly there were tears glimmering in his eyes again.

Fitz was suddenly aware that Keefe's arms were still around him, and he slowly, cautiously rested his head against his friend's. Dex did the same, reaching around to grab Fitz's hand, and then they were all crying onto each other's shoulders.

Fitz didn't exactly know what had prompted them to form a cry-hug, but he didn't care as tears slid down his cheeks.

He sniffed, and Keefe's cheek rested on his shoulder.

And... it was nice.

Maybe they didn't need Sophie to like them. Maybe... they could heal.

Together.

I did not know how to end that

But yeah! I ship Keefex and Keefitz and FedEx but have never really thought of this ship... I actually really like it now that I think about it-

Sophie crushed all three of their hearts and I don't know why I'm laughing-

Tell me if you liked it, comment, vote, I love hearing your feedback and/or constructive criticism!